National Republican., 1887-02-23
DEFENSES OF THE NATION.
A BILL TO MEET FULLY THE PUBLIC
DEMANDS.
Favorable Prospects for tho Fortiica-
tion Bill-A System of Public De-
fenso to Protect Our seaboard and
the Great Lakes.


The conferees on the fortifcation appro-
prlation bill had a meeting yesterday morn
ing, at which fair progress was made in
the settlement Of points Of difference.
The meeting was characterized by spirit
Of conciliation and mutual concession that
leads to the belief that an entire agreement
will soon be reached. One OF the con-
ferees, after the meeting, remarked that he
felt satisfied bill would be reported not
later than to-day, which would fully meet
the demands Of the country, and prove
eminently satisfactory In It's terms.
sEACoAsT AND OTHER DEFESsEs.
Representative Bragg, from the com
mittee on military affairs, reported TO the
House yesterday the bill which is intended
as substitute FOR the McAdoo bill "to pro-
vide for the manufacture Of first class mod.
ern guns for the navy and seacoast and
other defenses," which was referred to
committee Of the whole. ....
The committee report unanimously and
say that while they concur In the wisdom
OF making provision looking to system OF
public defense which shall protect our sea.
board and the great lakes in case OF the
contingency OF war, which the committee
do not consider In any degree imminent,
they decline to adopt the proposed bill, but
recommend the substitute therefor, which,
In the Judgment OF the committee, viii
fully meet all present exigences and place
the country in position readily and quickly
to provide against all future exigencies as
they may arise. The report is largely q de.
scription OF the bill synopsis OF which was
published in yesterdays REPUBLICAN,.
Referring to the appropriation Of $3.50, 900
for steel castings and forglngs for gun ma
| tefial for 8. 10, and 12 inch breech loading
rifle guns, the report says;
| It may be asked why the amount approprl-
atcd is 50 small and why no provision Is made
| for a still larger gun and why the appropria
tion is restricted to steel and excludes cast
| iron. The answer of the. committee to these
| interrogatories may be briefly stated. Steel
| was selected because the committee believe it
| 10 be much the best material for large guns,
as o,,, proven lnu, BY actual test and u,,,t It
to The ordinary mind from common observa-
| tlon. Why are steel rails preferred in the con-
slructiop OF railways, and Why is cast iron laid
aside and steel sub titntedG The ans YER is
| manifest by reason OF the greater endurance
of steel, the strain, shock aud wear to which
the rail is subjected is better endured by STEEL
large as can be profitably expended in mate
rial in the time within which the appropria-
tion is limited, and the szs Of the guns deSig.
pected win be Produced and manniactured
| within the time limited. The manufacture of
| steel for guns IN this country Is in its infancy.
| NO eleVeu Twelve 1UCn StcDl gun mas Deen
produced. and no manufacturer has plant
ready to handle them. II seemsa a simple thing
to order a twelve or fifteen inch rifle to be
made, but we consider the enormous strain
which such gun must bear In order to be a
| success and the great danger, both to the men
employed to handle It In action and to the
| place proposed to be protected by It, In case of
failure, when the gun shall be put into use at a
| critical moment. 1t is manifest to the COM
mittee that real progress in the art OF gnn-
making in America means the adoption of con-
1 txyaa aatt ttnfa- fa,,rxh haota o1N 1NstIkr
| Gun manufacture of the kind contem-
plated by this act is in its infancy In this coun-
| try, and II must learn to creep before lt can
| walk, and walk before It can run. While the
| producer of material. from his past experience,
would hesitate to contract for the material re-
4 quired for 15inch gun, he would very readily
| assume to supply material for an S-inch gun,
because of the experience we have already
had in construction of 6.inch guns, and hay-
ing become familiarized with necessary re.
advance to a 10 inch gun and 50 on.
| The committee believe, following this line
| OF thought, that the time covered by this ap
ss 0e VIII pc
| Of a 15.inch gun, and upon such belief do not
think y wise or prudent to make appropria-
tions that cannot be proftably or wisely OK.
| pended within the next five years When that
time shall have been reached. or sooner II Il
shall appear from nctual experience that 1t Il
the part OF wisdom to do it, the amounts ap'
| greater amount Is required now.
| The second section of the bill provides for
| the purchase and creation OF government
| the material purchased under the first section
| into guns. The amount appropriated-S6SD.0 900
the committee, after careful Investigation.
believe to be fully sufficient for the plant, with
ali the machinery aud equipment necessary for
| the construction of the classes specified In the
| first section, and to construct the building of
SUFFICIENT and capacity to admit
| manufacture Of larger guns to be added when
| we shall have reached the point that the man
ufacure of such guns may be successfully en-
The third section of the bill provides for
| rifled mortars Of the largest size for coast de-
tense and appropriates 100000 therefor: This
Is one OF the quickest means OF coast defense
than can be supplied, and we have already
one II! process of construction which will be
proved and tested In o few months Such a
| mortar will cost from 1880 to $40 900. and can
be very readily and quickly manufactured.
| Commenting on the fourth section, which ap-
| proprates 5000, 900 for the purchase and Con-
| struction OF torpodoes and submarine mines,
the committee says: There is no harbor de-
| Tense, in the judgment OF this committee, that
can be reached so quickly and so cheapiy, nor
| which can be made more complete than that
made by the use of torpedoes, torpedo boats,
| and submarine mines.
The sole protection necessary to cover and
guard them can be improvsed with great ease
| when we have guns and men who know how
| to handle them, The dynamite torpedo upon
atorpedo boat will ere long reyolutionize all
opinions and plans for harbor defense, unless
this committee have failed in forecasting the
future. We are so sanguine in our Judgment
that we appropriate this sum to give assurance
to the inventive genius now studying the tor
| pedo system and the use of dynamite therein.
| that upon the communication OF their plans
they may readily expect recognition from this
government in q substantial form.
The report briefly outlines and comments
upon the. other features of the bill.
THE LANDBoRG WAR SHIP.
In the Senate yesterday Mr.. Evarts sub
mitted an amendment to the naval appro
| priation bill to enable the Secretary OF the
Navy to pay Charles G.. Lundborg, of New
York, the sum of $40, 900 for plans aud de
signs of vessel of war furnished the
United States In conformity with the invi-
tation Of the Secretary OF the Navy Of May
s, 1885.
UNsERvICEABLE MUsKETs.
In reporting adversely from the commit.
tee on'military affairs a bill donating un
certain Grand Army posts, Senator Cock
inasmuch as these muskets are now fur
nished by the War Department at the rate
| OF 81 per musket and 30 cents for the &c
couterments there appears to be no need
for the special legislation.
COAST DEFENsEs-TEsTIMoNY.
Senator Cameron, from the committee
| on coast defenses, reported to the Senate
yesterday resolution authorizing that
committee TO take testimony during the
recess. Laid over.
| Grand Bazaar and Drill.